PRESS RELEASE

AAPCHO Joins More than Two Thousand to Rally in Support of Immigrant Rights at Supreme Court

Beverly Quintana
Director of Development and Public Affairs
(510) 272-9536 x112
bquintana@aapcho.org

WASHINGTON – The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) joined immigrant families and their supporters, including elected officials and legal experts, at a rally for immigrant rights on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court today. The Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments in United States v. Texas, a case that will determine the expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the establishment of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) programs. The new and expanded programs could benefit five million undocumented immigrants, including nearly half a million Asian Americans.

AAPCHO and its members continue to support President Obama’s executive actions to expand DACA and establish DAPA, and urge the Supreme Court to lift the injunction currently placed on these programs. Under expanded DACA and the new DAPA programs, eligible immigrants can apply for protection from deportation and a work permit.

“Asian American, Pacific Islander, and all communities at large would benefit from these two initiatives,” said Jeffrey Caballero, executive director of AAPCHO. “These programs would help grow our economy, create jobs and most importantly—would help to keep millions of families united.”

AAPCHO, with its member community health centers, have long advocated for these and other programs to improve the health status and access of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Health centers serve these and other communities with families who are among those at risk of being separated, and who are prevented from participating and contributing more fully in their communities due to the broken U.S. immigration system.

President Obama announced DAPA and expanded DACA on November 2014. Soon after, Texas and 25 other states filed a lawsuit challenging these actions and in February 2015, a federal district court in Texas put these initiatives on hold. The Administration’s appeal has travelled from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in November 2015, to the Supreme Court, who agreed to hear the case this past January.

AAPCHO joined an amicus brief and were among a diverse coalition of over 300 civil rights and immigration groups in support of the President’s actions, urging the Supreme Court to allow the programs to move forward. To learn more about those who would be impacted by this Supreme Court case, visit www.fightforfamilies.org.

About AAPCHO
AAPCHO is a national association of 35 community health organizations dedicated to promoting advocacy, collaboration and leadership that improves the health status and access of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders in the United States. For more information on AAPCHO, please visit www.aapcho.org.
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